If you lose your wallet, how often do you think someone will be kind enough to return it to you, with cash and credit cards?

Some people may be greedy, and others are simply too lazy to bother(打搅) with the trip to the post office to send back a wallet to a stranger. But according to a psychology study by Dr. Richard Wiseman, there’s one thing that’ll greatly increase your odds of being reunited with a lost wallet: a photograph of a cute baby.

In the study, hundreds of wallets were scattered(分散) around the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland. The psychologists wanted to see how many strangers would take the trouble to return them to the addresses listed on the drivers’ licenses inside—but more than that, they wanted to find out what would make a person more likely to help out a stranger.

To finish this, they included personal things in most of the wallets: some included a photo of a happy elderly couple, some contained a cute puppy, some contained a family portrait, and some held a photo of a lovely baby. Others had receipts(发票) showing that the wallet’s owner had recently donated to a charity（慈善）. Some contained no personal details.

As the psychologists soon discovered, the sight of a smiling baby is enough to warm nearly any heart: only one in ten of the strangers who retrieved such wallets did not return them. In contrast, the second most successful image, the puppy, had a 53% return rate. When the wallet included no photograph, it stood only a one in seven chance of being returned to the owner.

The success of the baby photograph shows a human compassion(同情) for the young that’s been passed down through the ages, according to Dr. Wiseman. “The baby kicked off a caring feeling in people, which is not surprising from an evolutionary perspective(进化的角度),” he told the Times.

To ensure our species’ survival, scientists think that we must feel empathy and compassion for our young. Scientists say that this study supports the argument that we won’t feel compassion only for our own babies, but for any that we see—hence, the strong desire a stranger would feel to return a wallet to the baby’s parent.

On a more basic level, the study also provides a great tip to help ensure that if your wallet is ever lost, you’re more likely to get it back. “If you want to increase the chances of your wallet being returned if lost, gain a photograph of the cutest baby you can find and ensure that it is clearly displayed,” said Dr. Wiseman.

1.The main purpose of the psychologists’ leaving hundreds of wallets around was to find out________.

A．whether people were as honest as before

B．what made people willing to help strangers

C．what kind of feelings could be caused by a smiling baby

D．how evolution influenced human beings

2.The underlined word “retrieved” in Para. 5 probably means “________”.

A．picked up         B．spread out         C．found out         D．looked for

3.Why did people return a wallet with a photograph of a cute baby in it?

A．Because the wallet was not attractive enough to keep.

B．Because the sight of a baby could cause a caring feeling in them.

C．Because they were curious to know the parents of the baby

D．Because the sight of a cute baby reminded them of their own children.

4.If there are 30 lost wallets with a photograph of a cute baby, how many of them will probably be returned?

A．Only 3.           B．About 15.         C．20 or so.          D．About 27.

5.We can learn from the last two paragraphs that________.

A．humans usually have compassion for the young

B．the caring feeling in people is gone during evolution

C．scientists believed that people only feel compassion for their own babies

D．a wallet with a cute baby’s picture in it cannot be lost

 

Dear All，

    Happy New Year! A list of important dates for this term is attached to this letter．

    Interviews for our April and September Primary One classes will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday，18th&19th January．Now is the time to apply for admission to Peak School．

    Children are expected to weal their uniforms this term．As is usual at this time of the year，mornings at the school are quite cold and l would suggest children wear their sweaters to school．As the temperature goes up during the day，children tend to take off their outer clothes，so it is important that all sweatshirts are labeled(贴有标签)．

    I have received a few requests from parents asking if their children can wear summer uniforms this term．I am of the view that all children in the school should follow the school policy and be dressed in the appropriate uniforms．In the longer term，a number of US at school have questioned the need to have a winter and summer uniform．Perhaps．with careful consideration，we can develop a uniform that will serve children for the whole academic year．

    As the foggy(多雾)mornings start to appear，a number of parents have raised concerns over the safety of those children who walk to school．  Our dark green uniforms are not particularly visible to motorists．Hopefully, the “Uniform Committee” to be set up this term will deal with this particular issue．I will keep parents informed of the channels through which views may be expressed in future newsletters．

  We still have a “No Hat，No Play” rule on the playground，so children need to ensure that they have their sunhats in school at all times．

Yours sincerely，

  P D Tunesi

    Principal

1.The letter was most probably written       ．

    A．when the school year ended

    B．before the new term started

    C．after kids were admitted to school

    D．after kids were interviewed

2.This letter was mainly written to       ．

    A．teachers    B．visitors    C．students    D．parents

3.What do we know about the present school uniforms?

    A．The school has solved the problems．

    B．They are invisible to motorists on foggy days．

    C．The school is considering changing them．

    D．There is a winter and summer school uniform．

4.We can infer from the text that       ．

    A．the school has strict rules on uniforms

    B．kids can’t have classes without wearing hats

    C．parents are satisfied with the uniforms

    D．most kids walk to school on foggy mornings

 

 

As the price of a college degree continues to rise, there's growing evidence that the monetary（货币的） payoff isn't quite as big as often advertised. The best estimate now is that a college degree is worth about $300,000 in today's dollars--nowhere near the million figure that is often quoted.

"That million number has driven me crazy!" says Sandy Baum, a Skidmore economist who studied the value of a college degree for the College Board last year.

Baum's research showed that college graduates earn, on average, about $20,000 a year more than those who finished their educations at high school. Add that up over a 40-year working life and the total differential is about $800,000, she figures. But since much of that bonus is earned many years from now, taking away the impact of inflation means that$800,000 in future dollars is worth only about $450,000 in today's dollars.

Then, if you remove the cost of a college degree--about ,$30,000 in tuition and books for students who get no aid and attend public in-state universities--and the money a student could have earned at a job instead of attending school, the real net value in today's dollars is somewhere in the $300,000 range, a number confirmed by other studies.

But, especially these days, that still makes a college degree one of the most lucrative investments a person can make, Baum notes.

　Better yet, college graduates can go on to earn advanced degrees, which return even bigger payoffs. The average holder of a bachelor's degree earns about$51,000 a year, Baum calculates. But those who've gone on to earn MBAs, law degrees, or other professional degrees earn about $100,000 a year.

　In addition, Baum found that there are plenty of other rewards for a degree. The quality of the jobs college graduates get is far better, for example. College graduates are more likely to get jobs with health insurance. And it is easier for them to find and hold jobs. The unemployment rate for college graduates was just 2.2 percent last year, half the unemployment level of those with only high school diplomas.

There are lots of other nonmonetary benefits as well. College graduates are healthier, contribute more to their communities, and raise kids who are better prepared academically, studies show.

Other researchers have found that the payoff of a degree is especially lucrative for students from low-income families, since the education and degrees give them a chance to break out of low-paying careers.

1.What can be inferred from Para 1 ?

   A. The payoff of a college degree is still big enough to match the advertised.

   B. It’s more and more difficult to get a college degree.

   C. The return of a college degree is less than often quoted.

   D. A college degree is worth about one million dollars.

2.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “lucrative” in Para.5?

   A. attractive                 B. worthless                C. approachable                 D. balanced

3.How can a college graduate increase his or her yearly income according to the passage?

   A. By getting jobs with health insurance immediately.

   B. By going on for higher degrees.

   C. By breaking out of low-paying jobs.

   D. By contributing more to his or her community.

4.Which of the following statements can be learned from the text ?

A.  According to Baum's research, high school graduates earn more than those who have college degrees.

B.  College education is enough to ensure you a good life.

C.  Nonmonetary benefits from the degree attract students more than monetary ones.

D. Students from low-income families still think degrees are profitable to change their life.

 

Women turn to online shopping
Women have jumped ahead of men for the first time in using the Internet to do their holiday shopping, according to a study published last week in the US.
For years men have been more likely to shop on the Internet than women, but during the 2004 holiday season, 58 percent of those making online purchases were women.
“It shows how mainstream the Internet is becoming,” said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project group, which carried out the study.
Rainie said it was only a matter of time before women shoppers caught up with men. This is because women traditionally make decisions about spending.
Users were more likely to shop online to save time. Internet users between the ages 18 and 29 were responsible for some of the most dramatic increase in the online gift-buying population this time around.
However, three- quarters of the US Internet users did not buy holiday gifts online in 2004. They worried about credit card security, or just compared online prices with off-line prices, then dashed off to the shops to get the best deals.
“ But even if shoppers don’t buy online , websites are becoming promotion tools for stores,” said Dan Hess, vice president of ComScore Networks Inc. Hess said that actually most stores’ websites can make customers fully believe the security of their credit card numbers. And most are able to ensure that gifts arrive on time.
“ It’s all about making the shopping experience more efficient, more reliable and more comfortable.” Hess said.
【小题1】Which of the following statements is true?

A．There were fewer women online shoppers than men in 2004

B．Most of the Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 are women.

C．People in the US were more likely to buy gifts online.

D．More women shopped online than men in 2004

【小题2】From the passage we can infer that______.

A．Men usually decide how to spend money in the family

B．Women usually decide what to buy in the family

C．The Internet is used in all the shops

D．More and more shops will sell their goods online

【小题3】According to Dan Hess, shopping online_______.

A．is unsafe	B．is convenient
C．is a waste of money	D．is cheaper

【小题4】What can we know from the passage?

A．American people only gift in holidays

B．Shopping online is fun for women.

C．Shopping off-line provides better service.

D．Young people like to do gift-shopping online.

In England three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop. They studied the information on the post sign and decided which bus to take. About five minutes later the bus they wanted came along. They prepared to get on. Suddenly people rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted insulting remarks about the foreigners. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus so that the first person who arrived at a bus-stop is the first person to get on the bus.

Learning the language of a country isn’t enough. If you want to ensure a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your hosts. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, You might see a man apparently shaking his head at another and assume (认为) that he is disagreeing. But in many parts of India a rotating (旋转) movement of the head is a gesture that express agreement or acceptance. Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty. In that country you shake your head to express “yes” — a nod means “no”.

In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when sitting, talking to someone, even at an important meeting. Doing this when meeting an important person in Thailand, however, could cause offence (冒犯). It is considered too informal an attitude for such an occasion. Also when in Thailand avoid touching the head of an adult — it’s just not done.

Attitudes to women vary considerably around the world. In Japan, for example, it is quite usual for men to plan evening entertainments for themselves and leave their wives at home.

Knowing about customs and attitudes is useful when you are travelling, but you also need to know the language used to express different degrees of formality (礼节).

The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed because ________.

A. they didn’t know the English language

B. the bus conductor told them to jump the queue

C. they didn’t know the custom of lining up for a bus

D. they thought they were looked down upon

What’s the meaning of the underlined word “insulting” in Para. 1?

A. Modest.   B. Entertaining.      C. Misunderstanding.      D. Rude.

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to this passage?

A. In Europe, using the left hand is considered less respected.

B. In India, the left hand is not used as a sign of respect to others.   

C. In Thailand, you’d better cross your legs when sitting or talking.       

D. In Japan, it is considered bad manners to touch the head of an adult.

The underlined sentence “Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty” means in Bulgaria _______.

A. you are probably thirsty if you nod your head

B. you’re possibly eager to have a drink if you nod your head

C. you probably refuse to drink when you nod your head

D. you’d like to have a cup of tea because you nod your head

We can infer from the passage that _________.

A. in Asian countries, women are equal to men in every field

B. learning a language well is a necessity before going abroad

C. attitudes to women vary from country to country

D. in Japan, men are still the centre of the family